Geraldine Violet (Fuhs) Houtteman, beloved wife of Richard (Dick) Houtteman (1923-2015), mother of six, grandmother of twelve, great-grandmother of thirteen, sister of Evelyn (1914-2015), sister of Carl (1920-2006), and aunt to many, died December 19, 2021 in Saline, Michigan at the age of 97.75.
Geri was born on March 24 or 28, 1924, in Lake Township Michigan, the youngest of three children to Otto Paul Fuhs (Pipi) (1884-1986) and Caroline (Carrie) Helen Whitmore (Mimi) (1890-1961). She graduated from South Lake High School in 1941 and during World War II took a job at the Continental Motors company. To pass the time on the bus, as she commuted each day along Lake Shore Drive, she would select one of the many mansions to be “hers” someday.
She met Richard in high school, and they married in 1945 in Pensacola, FL where Dick was stationed for pilot training as an Ensign in the U.S. Navy. Their marriage lasted 70 years. They spent the war together stationed at various naval bases, the last of which was San Diego.
After the war they moved back to St. Clair Shores, Michigan, where they raised a family of six: Toni, Richard (Mike), Debra (Arend), Jeffrey, Scott, and Lee. Geri worked as an election inspector and chairperson for 50 years. She was a devout Catholic, slept with a rosary under her pillow, and attended Sunday Mass until she could no longer walk. She followed the Detroit Tigers and Red Wings throughout her life, enjoyed being a “hockey Mom”, a Wednesday Wendy’s regular, and she was a decent bowler and golfer, and a great cook.
Richard and Geri enjoyed a long retirement. They spent winters in Florida. Ever thrifty, this meant for them a mobile home in an active retirement park. During the rest of the year Geri, together with her sister Evie, were available to help raise grandchildren, when and where needed. Looking back at her tireless devotion to her family, the countless scrapes and bruises, she built a home for her family as vast and as wonderful as any along Lake Shore Drive.
